Gethsemane
by grimorie
Summary: Sometimes there are people you can count on to save you. Ted Earley and Dani Reese in the aftermath of the shooting.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Gethsemane

**Author**: Monic

**Rating**: PG

**Characters**: Ted Earley, Dani Reese, Charlie Crews

**Summary**: _Sometimes there are people you can count on to save you._ Ted Earley and Dani Reese in the aftermath of the shooting.

**Spoilers**: Post-_Trapdoor_

**Disclaimers**: Does not belong to me. Owned and created by Shariat-Ravich Productions and NBC Universal.

**Words**: 11,500

**A/N**: Many and much thanks to and for beta and handholding and putting up with my ramblings.

* * *

Ted's first stint in prison lasted two years and ten days. He left prison with only the clothes he wore the day he went in: three bucks, a bunch of worthless plastic, a watch he pawned for cash the same day he got out.

Ted's second stint in prison lasted 14 days and five hours. Ted didn't know what kind of strings Charlie pulled or how much money he threw or what he did to get Ted out and quite frankly he didn't care. He was free.

"You're going to be handed to an LAPD Detective tomorrow," the warden said and Ted nodded along.

Tomorrow rolled on and the bodyguards Charlie got for him in prison shook his hand solemnly and then turned and walked away. Ted looked after them but they never turned back, not even for a hope of glancing outside into the world.

The COs returned Ted's personal belongings to him one by one: clothes, socks, shoes, his watch and then his wallet. He took them all with care and went to change. Ted stripped off the orange jumpsuit and dressed, feeling more and more human as he donned each article of clothing.

When he was done the COs escorted him outside, first one gate then the next until he was walking the last strip to freedom then Ted heard the electronic buzz and squeal of metal and he was a free man again.

Ted blinked at the sun as if it was the first time he'd seen it in weeks and he let his eyes close and let himself enjoy the free air. He opened his eyes and searched for Charlie's black bullet ridden Maserati, if that was still his car.

He saw a car parked across the street. It wasn't a Maserati nor was it some fancy muscle car. Instead the car was a dark colored Toyota hatchback and the person leaning against the car was not Charlie.

"Hey."

It took a second for Ted to respond. "Hey."

"You got everything?" Dani Reese asked.

Ted had nothing but the clothes on his back when the cops booked him, still he looked down at his feet where a bag was supposed to be then back up to her. "Yeah."

"Good." She opened her door. "Let's go."

He'd assumed, when the warden said an LAPD Detective was picking him up, he meant Charlie. He never expected it would be Charlie's partner, Jack Reese's daughter.

It's that last thought that made him enter her car with caution.

Detective Reese started the car and pointed her car in the direction of the city. Her car blasted cool air and she played no music. Ted spent the next five minutes trying not to fidget. Ted glanced at Detective Reese but she was focused on the road. She looked tired.

Ted cleared his throat. "I thought Charlie was picking me up?"

"He can't." She slid a sideways glance at him, it was brief and her attention was back on the road. "Crews is in the hospital." Ted stared at her, her eyes were stuck to the road and her knuckles where white. "He was shot."

#

The news caught Ted off-guard and yet by the same token, he really wasn't surprised. It was only a matter of time. Someone had him thrown in jail, of course they'd gun for Charlie next. Only, he didn't think they'd do it literally. Then again...

He only hoped Rachel was fine.

The shooter missed Charlie's heart by an inch. An inch more and Charlie would have been dead. "He was awake when the EMTs arrived," Detective Reese told him. "But the surgery took hours."

"And.... He's still asleep?"

"Yeah."

"What hospital is he in?"

"I'll take you there." Her eyes ticked towards him and then she turned to a familiar corner. "But maybe you wanna get freshened up first."

These were the same clothes he wore the day he got arrested. He had full intention of burning these damn things or failing that, throw them away. They entered Charlie's driveway and Detective Reese stepped out of her car and opened the door, entering Charlie's house with a familiarity Ted was sure wasn't there before he entered prison.

He stepped inside the house and it looked as airy and spacious and as quiet as it had always been. It was, actually, a little too quiet.

"Do you know where--"

"The girl is?"

Ted nodded, guarded, unsure how much she knew about Rachel

.

"Think Crews sent her away." She said, "Guy we were after made noise about her, next thing I knew she's not here anymore."

"I see." It still didn't answer if Detective Reese knew about Rachel.

"I'll wait here."

He took half an hour longer than he expected. He didn't do it on purpose but when Ted got back to his room he got... he was overwhelmed. It hit him in the shower, alone in the shower. He didn't need to be afraid for his life anymore, didn't need to look over his shoulder and be afraid someone would stick a knife him on his back.

Ted was free. But for how long?

Ted hurried out of his room, mortified and filled with apologies but when he entered the house, he stopped short. It was like Detective Reese had not moved from her spot except that she'd shrug out of her coat and she was looking up the stairs, where Charlie's room was, where Charlie's wall was.

She turned and looked at him. They stared at each other for what seemed like hours.

"Maybe you should get Crews something to wear," She told him, breaking the silence. "Just in case."

#

The EMTs brought Charlie to Cedars-Sinai Medical, Ted remembered reading something about the hospital a year ago but other than that, he'd never actually been into the hospital. The ride to the hospital wasn't quiet, the moment they entered her car and she started the ignition Ted began fidgeting with the strap of Charlie's gym bag.

"Can I put on some music?" He asked.

"You're not going to pop in some Zen CD, are you?"

Ted shook his head. "No."

"Then go to town."

He did and reached for the radio's 'On' button but the moment he hit it a loud shriek blasted from the speakers followed by the beat of drums and guitars. The noise level surprised him and he automatically stabbed at the volume. "Sorry, sorry."

Reese only looked at him askance.

Right. Of course, her car. "I... wasn't expecting." He cleared his throat as he lowered the volume to manageable levels. "I guess I just wanted to thank you for getting me out."

Reese shook her head. "Nothing to do with me, they just remanded you to me in lieu of a parole officer. District Attorney Griffiths got you out."

"District Attorney Griffiths?" He repeated, "You mean, Charlie's Constance Griffiths? That Griffiths?" Constance Griffiths had no love lost for Ted, in fact it was no secret that she disliked and distrusted him.

"Yeah." Reese said, "Guess she thought she owed Crews something."

#

There was a uniform by Charlie's door. Ted knew it was for Charlie's protection but it felt like prison. The uniformed officer nodded at Reese.

"Stark here?'

"No, ma'am. He was here earlier."

Reese opened the door and let Ted walk in and there was Charlie. He looked peaceful and...

"He's so white."

"He doesn't tan." Reese stood behind him, arms clasped behind her back, feet spread apart. Like she was on parade rest or something but there was a small smile on her lips.

Her phone vibrated and she took the call outside leaving him alone with Charlie. He looked down at Charlie, still asleep, paler than Ted's ever seen. "Um. So, hey." Ted began. "Heard you got shot."

No response.

"Your partner brought me here. I just got out so I didn't know until I was out, which was this morning. I wanted to thank you for the bodyguards in prison."

Still nothing but the door opened and Reese entered. "Are you done? I have to go."

"It's alright," Ted assured her. "I can find my way back to the house." Reese looked at him and he remembered: Remanded in lieu of a parole officer. "But I can't go outside by myself."

"Yeah, you can't, not until all the paperwork's cleared." She opened the door wide for him. "You're not allowed anywhere outside of Crews' house without me."

So, he wasn't exactly out free. He'd traded in one prison for the other. Still, he could do worse.

They arrived in the mansion a half hour later and he got out of the car. "Don't leave the house." Reese said and despite himself Ted heard an 'or else...'

#

Ted woke up disoriented. He'd woken with a start, expecting something to happen. An alarm, an attack but minutes passed and nothing happened. And then his stomach grumbled. He tried to ignore it but it grumbled again.

Ted went straight to his room the day before and didn't come out, not even for food. He'd lain on his bed staring straight up to the white ceiling trying to get used to the downy softness of the bed. But now his stomach complained abuse and he couldn't ignore it. He entered the main house and made a beeline to the kitchen hoping all the food hadn't rotted away, or worse that Charlie filled the kitchen with fruit and nothing else, only to be brought up short when he saw Reese.

She was on the table, reading something in a folder. Her hair was pulled back and she frowned at the contents of the file. It was strange seeing Reese without Charlie. He never saw Reese without Charlie beside her, it was like looking at an unfinished picture. Reese looked up. "Got you breakfast."

She gestured to the end of the table, there was a takeout bag from McDonalds.

"Thanks." He said, thrown. He ventured closer and saw something disturbingly familiar. Papers, pictures and folders marked 'Confidential' littered the table but when he looked closer the similarities ended. There were surveillance photos of a black man eating and then some notes.

Reese bought him coffee and a Sausage McMuffin.

Reese returned to studying files. She wore a ratty gray sweat shirt with a police shield and looked like she'd had hard night.

"Are you okay?"

She stared at him for a second. "I've been working. Eliminating suspects, I didn't see the shooter but I saw the car." She pointed to one photo, a black car parked somewhere with its doors hanging open. "Uniforms found it in a vacant lot half a mile from here. It was reported stolen the day before."

"Fingerprints?"

Reese shook her head. "Wiped clean."

"Do you have other leads?"

Her phone beeped an alarm and she looked at her watch. "I have to go."

"Okay."

She grabbed her keys and stood up. Ted saw she wore her gun but didn't see her shield.

"You can have food delivered to you," Reese said. "Just don't leave the house. If you need anything." She placed a card on the table. "Call me."

Reese walked out the kitchen, Ted looked at the table, the spread reminded him of Charlie's conspiracy file and Ted wondered why Reese brought all the files here instead of working in the station.

A name caught his eye, it was a list of telephone numbers, numbers Ted presumed, Charlie called. The name was highlighted in red: Mickey Rayborn.

And how much she knew.

#

The first four hours Ted spent time in his room, cleaning and the next were spent moving around the house and catching up with his reading. The second thing Ted did was enter Charlie's room and stare at his wall.

There were two photos similar to what Reese had downstairs: The Russian mobster and the black man with a card that read, 'Special Agent Bodner'.

Then, of course, Mickey Rayborn.

Ted left the room and locked the door.

He took out his laptop and decided to check-up on the state of Charlie's finances, see if Charlie did anything before he was shot, like buy another farm or a beach house but it turned out Charlie barely touched it. The man lived like a monk.

He skipped lunch but ordered pizza for dinner and settled in to watch a movie. He woke at three in the morning, thirsty. He spent a few seconds debating the merits of leaving his room for the dark outside and possible coyotes but he ate pizza and just had one can of soda. Ted sighed, shifted his foot to the floor and moved. Ted quick marched his way to the side door and sighed in relief when he reached the safety of--

"Don't move."

Ted stopped, heart leaping to his throat. He spotted a figure on Charlie's leather couch, holding a gun to him.

"Detective Reese?" He asked.

He heard leather squeak and the lamp beside her came alive. Reese sat on the couch, gun aimed at him.

"I was just getting water." He said.

Reese lowered her arm.

Ted went to the kitchen and drank a glass of water. His hands shook when he crossed the living room, it was pitch dark again but Ted had a feeling Reese was still awake.

The next morning there was another bag of McDonald's but no evidence Reese spent the night except for the files on the table. Ted picked up her business card and studied it. He took a deep breath and reached for the phone.

She answered on the third ring.

"Reese."

"Uh, hi," he began, "Detective Reese."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just... I was looking around Charlie's kitchen and it's all fruit here. I wondered if--"

"You need groceries." She said.

"Yes."

"I'll see what I can do."

She arrived at six with bags of groceries, Ted helped her move the groceries from her car to Charlie's kitchen.

"Thanks." He said.

Reese shrugged.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" He asked. Ted saw her hesitate but if what he saw from her car was any indication she subsisted on burgers, chocolates, coffee and yogurt. Hardly a healthy diet. "It's the least I could do."

She considered it a moment then sighed. "Okay."

Ted made spaghetti, Reese settled on the table and began looking through the files, when he was ready he took out the plates but was surprised when Reese stood-up and cleared the table until all the files were fixed in a pile at the other end of the table and then she took the plates and set them.

"I could help you." He said, midway into dinner.

Reese twirled her fork around.

"I'm good with money, financials. I could run things for you." He was beginning to stutter because Reese kept looking at him. "That-that is if you need it."

"I do." She said, finally. "Thank you."

#

They never stayed more than twenty minutes in Charlie's hospital room and while Ted appreciated Reese picking him up and bringing him Ted was starting to feel useless just staring at Charlie.

Ted read that talking to a person in a coma helped so he tried doing that as best he could but since he only stayed at home his topics for discussion didn't last more than a minute. Reese, on the other hand, never said anything. She alternated between working (reading files and speaking on the phone) and sitting in her chair and frowning at Charlie.

He tried to broach the topic about talking to Charlie but Reese looked at him and said: "Yeah, I heard that."

But she never talked to him.

One time, Reese excused herself, making another one of her phone calls when a man in a mismatched suit and too much hair product entered the room. He stared at Ted.

"Who the hell are you?" He asked, his accent full on New York.

"Ted." He answered. "Ted Earley."

"You're the roommate, the one who lives in the garage."

"_Above_ the garage." Ted corrected.

"Aren't you supposed to be in jail?"

"Uh, I got out." He frowned, uncertain why he didn't know.

"Good for you, I guess."

The door opened. "Tidwell."

"So this is where you've been hidin'." He said.

Reese's eyes flicked from Tidwell to Ted. "Sometimes."

"Haven't been seeing much of you lately."

"You see me all the time."

"In the precinct." Tidwell said, "not outside of it."

"Station," Reese corrected and there was a look in her eyes half controlled and half on the verge of a grimace.

Ted looked from Reese to Tidwell to Reese and tried not to let his eyebrows climb up to his hairline.

Reese stepped to one side, Tidwell followed and Ted busied himself with reading the magazine he brought with him but Charlie's room wasn't that big and their voices carried.

"I'm worried about you."

"I told you, stop worrying about me. I'm doing fine, I'm working the job, clearing cases and I'm not always around 'cause I'm half a team right now."

"Maybe you should reconsider the temporary partner thing..."

"I already have a partner."

"Babe, he's in a coma. He might not wake-up."

There was a long pause and then. "Did you just call me 'babe'?"

"Babe? Did I say 'babe'? I meant--"

"I'm not getting a temporary partner," Reese interrupted. "Crews is going to wake-up."

Ted shifted his eyes to Charlie but he was still unconscious, his chest rising and falling.

"And you're going to your meetings?" Tidwell asked, changing the subject.

"Ninety in ninety right?"

"Right."

There was another pause.

"Look, I'll stop by later."

"That's all I wanted to hear."

#

The next morning Ted crossed the living room to the kitchen and was surprised to see Reese on Charlie's couch. Reese dropped him off last night and drove off. He assumed Reese would be out the whole night, he supposed he should have known better. Ted was more surprised he caught her still sleeping. There were files on the coffee table.

He prepared breakfast and by the time he was eating his bagels, Reese walked into the kitchen, her hair was everywhere and she wore loose pajama bottoms and a dark wifebeater shirt but what caught his eye was the gun in Reese's hand. She rubbed her eyes. "I smell coffee."

Ted pointed to the pot he brewed.

Reese grunted and reached for the pot, pouring herself a cup, she sipped the coffee and looked halfway human when she reached the island. "Tell me about Rayborn."

Ted had a sense of deja vu as he recounted Rayborn's life story, he wondered if, after Reese was going to insist they go to one of Rayborn's charity events. Reese took the briefing without saying a word, just continued sipping her coffee when he was done Reese had finished her cup.

"And his financials check out?"

"As far as I can tell, yes."

"His money legitimate?"

Their eyes met over the counter and held. It was then Ted realized Reese knew something about the Bank of LA shootout.

"Yes," he said, breaking the silence. "As far as I know." The question was at the tip of his tongue.

Reese pushed off. "I'm going. Got to get to the station."

"You could use one of Charlie's rooms. It's a big house." He said, "I doubt the couch is comfortable."

"Maybe next time." Reese tucked the gun in the waistband of her pajama bottoms. She looked around the kitchen. "Maybe you should install a security system."

"A security system." He repeated.

She turned around and frowned in the direction of the main door.

"I... don't think Charlie would like that." It wasn't like Ted didn't want to. He had an alarm installed on his door his first week in the mansion but the last time Ted tried to beef-up security by installing a fence around house Charlie had not been happy. Reese shifted her focus from the door to Ted. "Charlie doesn't like locks and bolts."

Neither did he come to think of it.

"Yeah." Reese said, lifting both eyebrows. "But he loves cameras."

Ted blinked. "I... did not know that."

"Think about it." She glanced at her watch."I'll be back."

center#/center

Reese reminded Ted of Coyotes. Or wolves. Or a lion. Like Scar from The Lion King (his daughters loved that movie) only, not evil (he hoped) and not scarred.

Ted's known Charlie to sometimes seek solitude but Reese really seemed like a really solitary person. He didn't know how she and Charlie got along so well or maybe that's why they got along so well.

Ted looked at her from across the table, he made roast chicken. Reese ate the chicken and smiled at Ted. "This is good."

That was the last thing she said before she went on eating, she didn't read any of the files on the pile, instead it was like Ted was eating with his wife around, always there to enforce manners.

Her phone rang, Reese checked the display and answered. "Not tonight," Ted heard her murmur, Reese poked at her potatoes. "Got something to do. Yeah, okay. Bye."

She placed the phone on the table and resumed eating. Again, in silence and it was beginning to get to Ted.

"I don't like coyotes." He said then grimaced.

Reese raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to continue.

"I saw one earlier by the pool."

There was a barely perceptible quirk of her lips. "They're harmless."

"Just because there are no recorded attacks doesn't mean it doesn't happen!" He returned.

"Sure, you might be right about that." There was a definite burr of amusement in her voice. "Do you want me to call animal control?"

This seemed like a conversation he'd had before. Cops were all the same. "No." He sighed, "They're not going to do anything."

"Don't worry." Her smile was lopsided. "They always leave in the end."

* * *

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

2.

The doorbell rang. Ted was getting updates from the foreman on Charlie's solar farm. Most of the things he was saying went over Ted's head but he made some encouraging noises and that seemed to satisfy the foreman. The doorbell rang again and Ted knew it wasn't Reese, Reese usually just let herself in. Ted ended the call but didn't answer the door immediately; Reese had rules about answering the door. The only other one besides 'Don't leave'.

"Who's there?"

"Ted?"

Ted blinked. "Olivia?"

"Yes, yes it's me."

"Oh." Ted wanted to open the door but he remembered Reese and walked cautiously around to the door. "Are you alone?"

"Am I alone?"

"Yes?"

"Yes, I'm alone."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Ted," he could hear laughter in her voice. "I'm sure."

He opened the door cautiously and was nearly blinded by Olivia's smile. "Hi."

He found himself grinning back goofily. "H-hey, Olivia."

"I heard you were in jail." Olivia said, "but I can see that's not true."

"Oh, oh it's true." He said, opening the door wide. "But they let me go. It was," he shuffled his feet. "It was a bum rap."

Olivia's smile widened. "I'm happy for you then. Is Charlie still in a coma?"

"Oh, you know about that?"

Olivia nodded. "Charl-- Charlie's father told me. He was here when Charlie was shot. I'm glad you're being careful."

Charlie's father. "Wait, your fiancé was here?"

"Didn't they tell you?" Olivia asked, confused. "I missed seeing Charlie for a couple of minutes. I was picking up Charles."

"Wait, are you saying Charlie was shot here?"

Olivia looked at him. "Did no one tell you anything?"

"Just that Charlie was shot. I assumed... I assumed it was somewhere else."

"Goodness, no. He was shot here, according to Charles, he went to open the door and the next thing he knew there was a sound of gunshot and Charlie fell over."

Ted stared at the spot Olivia pointed out. It was just a few feet from where he stood. "Here?" And they were standing... Ted pulled Olivia inside and shut the door. Jesus. Anyone could have taken potshots at them while he was gaping at Olivia. "I think, maybe you should leave through the backdoor later."

Olivia looked at the door silently as if the same thought just occurred to her. "I think you maybe right." She stirred. "I just really wanted to check-up on you. I have to go back to--"

"Your fiancé." He finished.

"Yes." Ted couldn't look at Olivia, the pity in her eyes. "Anyway, he's a bit... cranky lately and he's having a hard time using the wheel chair."

"Wheel chair?" Ted repeated. "Was he in an accident?"

Olivia looked at Ted in surprise. "They really didn't tell you anything, did they? Charlie shot his father."

Ted stared at Olivia for a long, long moment. "I think I need to sit down."

#

Ted was light headed after Olivia's revelations. Charlie shot his father, an accident, true but then again Ted knew Charlie's less than Zen feelings for the senior Crews.

The door opened and Reese walked in, she didn't have files or groceries just her badge and gun and when she saw him, said: "What's wrong?"

"Charlie shot his father?"

"He broke in," Reese answered, "Crews shot him, didn't know it was him 'til after."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

"He could have issued a warning before he started shooting," Reese replied, "but Mr. Crews did break-in, it was lucky Crews isn't that good a shot in the dark."

Not a good shot in the dark. Ted remembered Reese pointing a gun at him in the dark.

"Are you okay?" Reese asked with a step forward. "You look like your gonna throw-up."

"Something I ate." But he still sat down and placed his head between his knees.

A brown paper bag appeared in front of his face. "Here."

Ted took it, the paper bag smelled like cinnamon when he was done hyperventilating Reese was crouched down in front of him. She was watching him. No, she was studying him.

"Who told you about Crews shooting his father?"

"Olivia came by," he answered, the name didn't seem to register. Ted wondered how much Reese actually knew of Charlie's personal life. "She's his father's fiancée. Why didn't you tell me about Charlie shooting his father?"

It wasn't an admonition but it sounded that way.

"Did you really need to know?"

"Yes!" Ted snapped, "He was my friend too! I know you don't like to talk but sometimes I need to be told things, like Charlie shooting his father!"

"Is."

"Wh-what?"

Reese stood, pulled the paper bag from Ted's hands and crumpled it into her pocket. "You're right, I should've told you." She was still watching him and it was beginning to make him feel uncomfortable. "C'mon, let's go."

"What? Where? Why?"

She pulled him up. She was surprisingly strong for a woman of her size. "You need to get out."

#

They didn't venture far or anyplace where there were people, Reese was using the Toyota car again and not the black unmarked car Ted was used to seeing with her.

She stopped the car just over the cliff, Reese got out of the car, slammed the car door shut and moved to the front. Ted stayed in the car a second longer, staring at Reese's back, her long hair tangling in the wind. He remembered she used to keep her hair up.

Ted got out of the car and moved forward, just a little bit. It occurred to Ted they were alone in a cliff, a very high cliff, if Reese wanted to she could push him off and no one would be the wiser. He peered around the edge. Yep, awfully high.

He looked up and saw Reese look at him.

"I don't like heights."

"Relax," Reese said, her voice a pleasant low burr, "I'm not gonna let you fall."

"What..." he swallowed, his mouth was dry. "What are we doing here?"

Reese shrugged. "Figured you were too cooped up in the house."

Los Angeles in the daytime, from far away and above looked different, it didn't look so harsh and hard. It was like looking at the inverse of a noir LA. Sometimes he forgets that LA isn't always so dark, so hard and jaded that it had other colors than neon. He moved to the front of the car cautiously soon he found himself sitting on the hood and the silence seeping in from all directions, a silence made of muted faraway sounds and wind comforting.

He sighed and the muscles around his shoulders loosened. He didn't even know he was that tense. "This is nice."

"Yeah." Reese's eyes were closed and tipped her head back to the sun. Ted blinked it was like something Charlie would do. Soak in the sun, breathe the air. He knew why Charlie did it, he didn't know why Reese seemed to need it too. Why she needed to see the world through the light or need the open space to breathe. That he suspected part of the reason they were here wasn't just because he was cooped up in Charlie's house for too long.

#

"Your partner brought me out the other day." He was back in Charlie's room, Reese left when her phone rang. She told him she'd be back, she didn't tell him to leave but Ted knew the drill. Also, Ted thought the uniform outside of Charlie's room was instructed not to let him out. Or he could be paranoid. "To a cliff... not to push me, which I admit did, cross my mind briefly. We sort of just... sat there. It was nice."

Charlie responded by breathing.

"I'm not being sarcastic." He informed him. "It was just... unexpected. I don't really know what to make of your partner. I didn't expect she liked just sitting and watching the clouds."

Charlie's monitor did its normal beeping and Ted took it to mean Charlie wasn't surprised, possibly making some Zen comment.

"I think you need to wake-up soon." Ted told him. Charlie didn't have a response to that, not even in Ted's imagination so he went for another topic. "I heard from Olivia... you shot her fiancé, which means you shot your father. I know this information shouldn't elicit this response but..." He took a deep breath and blurted out. "I'm glad you did. It's petty I know but I'm in love with Olivia, there I said it again. I'm in love with the woman your father's about to marry and I'm glad you shot her fiancé, your father. But I'm also glad you didn't kill him because that would mean prison--"

He stopped talking and glanced behind him and to his horror he saw Reese leaning by the wall, arms crossed looking very, very amused.

"How long have you been standing there?"

Instead of answering Reese pushed off from the wall, "C'mon, visiting hours are over."

"You didn't hear everything did you?" He asked in a meek voice as Reese ushered him out of Charlie's room.

One side of her mouth curved upwards, Reese led him to the elevator with a hand on his elbow. "Hear what?"

Ted breathed out in relief, he's fine playing like that monologue didn't happen. Reese stepped inside the elevator as soon as the nurse and doctor exited, she pressed the button for the basement. They stood side by side the elevator and he wanted to glance at Reese but thought that was pushing his luck. As the doors slid close, Reese said. "So, you're in love with Crews' stepmother, huh?"

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

3.

Ted heard Reese's car pull into the garage. He'd been sleeping fitfully, his dreams filled with the grinding sound of locking prison doors. He heard Reese shuffle inside Charlie's house.

He gave-up sleep and thought about making coffee. Reese seemed to like coffee. He entered the house, making as much noise as he can. Ted didn't like people pointing guns at him.

"Hey," Ted said, "You want some-- Oh, my God! What happened to you?"

There was blood on her lips and her shirt looked a little ripped.

"Took down a perp," Reese answered, shrugging out of her jacket. She threw the jacket to the end of the couch and seemed afraid to touch it.

"And he did that?" He pointed to her mouth.

Reese touched her lip gingerly and her expression turned sour. "No. This came from a rookie who can't seem to follow instructions. Tell him to turn left and he goes right."

"Stay there," he ordered and grabbed a bowl, clean towels and antiseptic. He returned and found Reese sitting on the coffee table, sleeves rolled up as she checked her elbow. She smelled like smoke and whiskey. He looked at her jacket and it was soaked.

"It's nothing." Reese said when she saw Ted armed with the bare essentials of a first aid kit.

"Yeah, of course it's nothing and next thing you know you're in the hospital with infection."

She rolled her eyes and took the towel from his hand. Ted watched her dab her lip and looked away. They spent a few seconds in silence with Reese busy cleaning the wound.

"Maybe you should consider that guy's offer about a temporary partner?" This remark earned him a 'Not you too' look. "Just a suggestion."

"Pass the alcohol, please."

He did. "You don't have to do this alone, you know."

"Maybe," she said. "I think you were going to offer me coffee?"

"I can help." He continued.

"You're already helping with the financials."

"I could help more."

Reese looked at him. "No. No you can't. You can't afford another strike and I don't think your roommate would be happy when he finds out you'd been hurt or back in jail."

When, not, if.

Ted sighed. "I'll make us coffee."

#

Ted puttered around the garden when he heard a car pull up the driveway, he moved forward cautiously and saw Reese open the door. "Let's go see your roommate."

Ted had nothing better to do so he put down the shears. He was beginning to suspect Reese was only using him as an excuse to visit Charlie, that's at least what she says when people asked. Ted wished she would stop telling people that. He was beginning to get odd stares from people.

"You been gardening?"

"Nothing else to do."

Reese nodded. "C'mon."

They arrived at the hospital but found they weren't Charlie's only guest.

A blond woman sat beside Charlie, she held his hand and seemed to be crying. Reese turned to him and by expression alone seemed to be asking who the hell the woman was. Ted shrugged in turn.

The woman turned her head and Ted realized who she was. "Jennifer!"

Jennifer Conover wiped tears from her eyes. "Do I... oh, you're Ted Earley."

"Yes." He answered. "Um. How're you? How long have you been here?"

"I just learned what happened to Charlie yesterday," she said, "My... my husband and I were out of the country."

Jennifer's eyes tracked to Reese, who stood just a little behind him and not uttered a single word since they entered the room.

"Oh, sorry, um, Jennifer Conover," He said, moving slightly away, "this is--"

"Jennifer." Reese repeated. Her voice had a tinge of coolness in it. "You're Charlie's ex-wife."

Ted blinked at Reese, this was the first time Ted heard Reese refer to Charlie by his given name and then Reese's words registered.

"I am." Jennifer said, equally cool but she stretched out her hand and Reese took it.

"Dani Reese," Reese said, "Charlie's partner."

Jennifer's tentative smile faltered and there was beginnings of the expression Ted had seen only briefly but memorably, the time Jennifer slapped Charlie but she covered up quickly and regained the smile. "It's good to meet you."

"And you." Reese said, "Mrs. Conover."

Jennifer nodded and turned away, back to Charlie. "I didn't know what to do when I learned what happened to Charlie. It used to be I was Charlie's first call, I remember how I used to worry about receiving that call, always, everyday."

To Ted's horror he saw Jennifer's shoulders start to shake he panicked a little, awkward with the display of emotion and looked to Reese for help but she was no help at all. Reese stared at Jennifer with an implacable, unreadable expression, an expression he'd seen on cops before. As if she'd weighed, judged and found Jennifer guilty of something.

Stark explained it to Ted days later when he turned up on Charlie's doorstep in regular clothes and told Ted that Reese asked Stark to check on Ted while he was off duty.

"Since Charlie got shot Reese has been--"

"A little scary?" Ted provided.

"I was gonna say 'relentless' and 'surly' but that'd work too."

Then he cracked a beer open and threw Ted another can.

"Reese met Jenny?" Stark shook his head. "Damn. Glad I'm not in those shoes anymore."

"What d'you mean?" Ted asked.

Stark gave a little chuckle. "This time last year Reese sort of hated my guts, she wasn't too keen when she thought I didn't back Charlie up but we got things sorted. And that's when she just thought I didn't have Charlie's back--"

'But,' Ted wanted to say, 'you didn't.'

"Hate to see how Reese took to meeting the woman who actually abandoned Charlie."

Jennifer regained her composure and faced them again, worry and fear lining her face. "The doctors said his surgery was a success, they told me... they told me they don't know why he's still in a coma and they said..." She paused and seemed to work around the lump in her throat. Ted felt his hands hang uselessly at his side. "They said if he doesn't wake-up soon... the worse it'll be for him, that he'll never wake-up."

"He'll wake-up." Reese said. They turned and looked at her and Reese repeated in a voice filled with conviction and a tinge of anger, as if she dared them to contest her claim. "He'll wake-up."

#

It was late when they returned to Charlie's house. Ted left the light in the kitchen open just in case they returned from the hospital after dark. Ted didn't like dark places. Things happen in the dark like getting shiv'd in the back.

As soon as Reese opened the door Ted felt something amiss but couldn't put his finger on it until Reese shoved him to the side and drew her gun. And finally Ted knew what it was: he could smell pie. Strawberry pie. Someone was in the house. Sitting on the couch. There was a click and the lamp lit open.

Reese stood between the pillars gun pointed and face set. The light made the planes of her face sharper, dangerous.

"You're trespassing." Reese said to someone Ted didn't see.

"Just like you." The man sitting on the couch said, Ted peered around the corner and saw a bald man in a suit, Special Agent Bodner of the FBI. He had his feet on the coffee table, eating pie. As if he it was the most natural thing in the world, as if he belonged there. Ted felt sick.

"I was invited." Reese returned.

"Oh, really? Was this before or after your partner keeled over with a hole in his chest?"

Ted saw Reese's shoulder rise. "You tell me."

Bodner didn't respond, Reese never took her eyes off Bodner. Ted tried not to breathe aloud, he could feel his heart race and he pressed himself against the wall.

"Pie?" Bodner asked.

"Maybe later."

"You should stop harassing Roman Nevikov, Detective." Bodner said, all conversation, talking shop. "After all the Federal government has him in custody now."

"Yeah, I heard that."

"From Charlie's lawyer friend? But she's stopped returning your calls, how could you know?" There was a sound of the fork scraping the plate. "Anyway, I heard you were looking for me too. Well, darling, here I am."

"Yeah." Reese replied. Reese's voice even was but there was an edge, just an edge of contempt in her voice. "You are."

"What are you going to do now? Ask if I had your partner shot and threaten me like this was some movie?"

"Did you have my partner shot?"

There was a silence Ted peered around the corner again. Bodner was standing now, the unfinished pie on the coffee table. He had his hands on his pockets, sweeping the ends of his suit aside to reveal his gun and FBI badge and he stood like a man totally in control of his environment. Bodner stared at Reese, eyes dark and intense but nothing in Reese's demeanor changed except for the tiny sneer of defiance curling her lip.

"No."

"You got anything to do with my partner's 'rebirth'?"

Agent Bodner chuckled. "He's not really reborn if he doesn't wake-up. By the way, I heard you're running for the Lieutenant's exam, you're very ambitious considering. Judging from your work you got the brains to pull it off." It didn't sound like a compliment to Ted. "It'd be a shame if the IAD found about you banging your captain, I think that'd be one of those things IA frowns upon. It's not like you don't already have a black mark on your record, something to do with an undercover assignment, right?

"I tell you, I knew some folk gone under but reading what you did guess they really should redefine the word. Things you did made what those guys did seem like child's play."

Ted moved a bit to get a view of Reese's profile and the defiant sneer vanished, she looked stricken and without defenses. He'd never seen her so shaken. Ted was suddenly filled with an impulse to intervene. Bodner smirked and Ted made a move forward but Reese started speaking.

"You know what I find curious?" Her voice was steady. She looked steady. In the small space of time when Ted wasn't looking Reese regained her composure. No, it wasn't that, her voice was steady but it was also detached, as if she were thinking out loud, as if the thoughts were just coming to her. "How come the FBI's so interested in two LAPD cops? I'm a junkie, Crews was an ex-con. It's interesting, good gossip around the water cooler but not something the bureau would waste thousands of manhours for. Unless there's something more you're interested in." This time her voice wasn't detached it was interested, curious and sharp and the more interested she was the more the pitch of her voice lowered until it dropped low and smoky like old whiskey, intimate. Like it was only Bodner and Reese in the house and she was enticing the secrets from him. "What is it you're interested in, Agent Bodner? What is it about Crews and me you're so interested in?"

Tension saturated the room and Ted felt the pressure even if he stood off in the corner, hidden in the dark. It felt like something was, should break and soon.

"Stay away from Roman." Bodner finally said, cutting the tension into another interesting shape. "Stay away from me or else I'll go and start making your life even more interesting. Just ask Mr. Earley."

The sound of his name on Bodner's lips was like being hit with electricity and Ted jolted back and cringed.

Reese cocked her gun. "I suggest you leave now before I really do shoot you for trespassing."

Bodner removed his hands from his pocket. "Try the pie, it's really good."

He strolled out, stepping as close to Reese without touching her gun. Reese followed him out, tracking him with her gun. Halfway out of the door Bodner turned. "See you around, Detective," Bodner's eyes swept to him and again that jolt, like being stabbed this time, "and you too Mr. Earley."

#

He didn't sleep that night. He couldn't. Not even with Reese's reassurance. Not even knowing she was close by with a gun.

He can't go back to prison. He just can't. The second time just about killed him and going back inside... Ted looked at the wall, at the photos. He can't do it. Ted owed Charlie his life, more times than he can count but going back would kill him. Ted remembered Agent Bodner in Charlie's house and didn't feel at all safe. Ted went to the kitchen and pulled out the beer Stark brought with him the other day.

And that's how Reese found him, near the pool and working on his fifth beer, head on his hand.

"Are you okay?"

Ted looked up and found Reese looking at him. "I can't go back to prison."

Reese frowned and Ted could see the question forming in her head, she can say so much without really saying anything.

"I can't go back to prison again."

"You're not."

Ted huffed a laugh, just this side of bitter. "That's what Charlie said."

"You can give him hell when he wakes up."

"How are you even sure he'll wake-up?" He demanded and it must be the alcohol in him talking because normally, he wouldn't even dream of picking a fight with a cop, especially with this cop. "The doctors aren't even sure why he's still under! Maybe he doesn't want to wake-up!"

"He's going to wake-up." Reese said, as she stared down at him.

He laughed. "You think so, huh?"

"You're drunk." She told him.

"Three sheets to the wind and I'm not stopping until I pass out." Ted looked at her suspiciously, daring her to try and stop him.

She noticed his look. "What? I'm not going to stop you." She sat down on the other chair. "You want to get smashed? Go for it. I'm not one to talk about drinking."

Ted blinked and winced. "Oh, God. I remember. I'm sorry I--"

"Don't worry about it."

"Maybe I should clean up."

"I'm not going to suddenly lose control and grab all your beer." She said.

"Still--"

Reese stood-up. "If you want to drink 'til you pass out, do me a favor and do it in your room. I don't want to carry you there. Got it?"

#

He was going to die.

That's how it is, Theodore Earley, late of Attercliffe Capital found dead in a room above the garage of one Charles Crews, Esq., Ted imagined his wake would be sparse and gloomy and maybe with only one flower on his coffin with Olivia crying silent tears over what could have been and then there was Charles Crews Sr., probably laughing in the back with a cigar. Bastard.

Ted couldn't quite remember why he thought it was a good idea to wallow his sorrows in alcohol. His head was pounding and his mouth tasted funny, like worms came in to roost and died a horrible death-- that metaphor sent him on his knees doing penance to the porcelain god.

An hour and a half later he dragged himself out of his room and traversed the path to Charlie's house wearing thick dark glasses. He wanted to wear his baseball cap for effect but couldn't find it.

Reese was already in the kitchen drinking coffee and she greeted him with a raised eyebrow. "You look familiar."

Ted had a speech prepared, something like 'I will never drink again' or 'I hate you for your cheery morning look.' Except this was Reese and not Charlie and she never looked cheery in the morning. In the end what came out of his mouth was: "I'm gonna die."

Her mouth quirked upward, briefly, and nodded to a glass and some liquid Ted couldn't identify. "Drink that. Don't smell it and don't even try to taste it just drink it."

Ted looked at it dubiously, "It looks--"

"And don't look at it."

"Hair of dog?"

"And something extra."

Ted took the glass and swished it from side to side for a second. His head hurt like hell, maybe he'll just wait out the-- he saw Reese over the rim of the glass and she had the tiniest bit of smirk. "Well," he took a deep breath and raised the glass at her, "Here goes."

He held his breath as he downed the glass but apparently he has something perverse in him that when people tell him not to do things, he would then be compelled to do the very thing they warned him about. Like don't look down and he does and like now when he was told not to try and taste it and did.

Ted gagged and choked, he wheezed too as the... the thing went down the wrong tube. He wheezed and coughed and coughed until he felt Reese thump him on the back, which, for a small woman, packed a lot and he jerked forward a little then Reese handed him a glass of water. When he was done wheezing he looked at Reese. She looked exasperated.

"What the hell is this?!"

"I think I was pretty clear when I said don't taste it."

"That was horrible!"

"Trust me," Reese reached for her badge and clipped it on her belt, "you'll thank me later."

A few minutes later, after another round of gagging Reese finally gave him coffee to offset the taste. If it were Charlie he'd probably hand him a fruit complete with a Zen anecdote Ted would never completely understand.

"You never call me by name."

Ted had a coffee cup halfway to his lips and stopped. "What?"

She was looking at him thoughtfully. "It's either 'Detective Reese' or 'H-hey'."

"D-do you want me to call you Dani?"

"No."

"Oh."

She sighed. "I don't know."

"How about if I just call you Reese?"

"I think that'll do for now." Reese said. Ted nodded then groaned at the movement Reese collected her things and then she lowered her head, meeting his eyes. "Are you going to be alright?"

Startled, he blinked. "Yes."

"If anything comes up, you call me. Don't do anything stupid."

What stupid thing did she think he'll do?

"And if you get drunk again, I prefer you do it somewhere I don't see, got it?"

"That was really just a one time thing." He explained, "I... just--" Reese was looking at him steadily and then realized what she really meant. It wasn't just for him. "Got it."

Reese nodded but this time she wouldn't meet his eyes. "Thanks."

#

Dr. Vasquez came in the room, Ted has gotten to know the doctor pretty well since he often went on rounds to Charlie's room whenever Ted and Reese came by to visit.

"Will Detective Crews' father be visiting today?" Dr. Vasquez asked after looking through his charts.

"I... I'm not sure." Ted answered, to be frank he'd rather avoid seeing Crews Sr.

"Why?" Reese asked, in her usual position against the wall.

The doctor startled, Ted sympathized. Reese never started conversations; in fact she seemed to avoid all forms of communication if she could. It was awkward the first few times when Ted tried to make small talk until, thankfully, Reese cut him off during one of his awkward, stumbling discussions about the weather and said: "You don't really need to do this. I don't really like talk."

"But Charlie likes to talk." He said, in a sort of astonished way.

"Yeah," she said with a wry smile. "He really does."

"But--"

"Crews talks enough for the both of us." Reese explained then in a quiet voice and not unkind way added: "You're not Crews, you don't need to be."

After that they settled into the quiet although there were still times Ted wondered why he needed to be here in the first place.

Dr. Vasquez shifted his clipboard to another hand and said: "It's really something I should talk about with his family."

Reese stood up. "Talk about what?"

Dr. Vasquez shook his head but Ted saw Reese's gaze sharpened and Ted knew that was the wrong response to Reese's question. "I'm sorry, I really should talk to his family about this."

"Crews-- _Charlie_ is my partner, Ted Earley is his roommate." Reese said. "Ted's been with him since after prison and I'm his partner. We're family."

"But--"

"But," Reese said, voice low and calm, "what, doctor?"

If she'd gone off angry, berating or demanding it wouldn't have worked but all through the exchange Reese had stood, implacable. Driving her point with a smooth kind of calm and relentlessness that Ted's only seen once before.

Ted sucked in a breath. My God, he thought, what it must have been like in the interrogation room when Charlie and Reese worked together.

Dr. Vasquez was a smart man and knew when he was defeated and caved. "Detective Crews has been in a coma for more than four weeks, I think we should start considering the possibility that he's not getting out of the coma soon."

"You think he's not going to wake-up." Reese surmised.

Dr. Vasquez sighed. "Like I've said before, Detective Reese, we're not even sure what's keeping Detective Crews in a coma. If he doesn't wake up soon it's difficult to tell when he will."

Ted knew it was a possibility. He even talked about it with Jennifer when she was here but to hear it from the doctor...

"Okay." Reese said.

"Detective..."Dr. Vasquez started.

"I'm going to take a break." Reese said suddenly and before Dr. Vasquez could say anything she walked out the door. Ted found himself alone with an unconscious Charlie and Dr. Vazquez.

"Mr. Earley," Dr. Vasquez said, "I know it's hard to hear but it really would be the best if Detective Reese and Mr. Crews understand..."

"I'll talk to them." He assured the doctor and wondered when he became the person that held things together, the one people saw as a sensible adult.

#

They didn't talk about it on the way back home. He's known Reese only a short time but Ted knew one thing: You don't force Reese into anything. You don't tell her what to do when she's made up her mind to do one thing, telling her to do something counter to her own plan would only ensure she would do the exact opposite of what you wanted.

It wasn't a definite thing he knew about Dani Reese but it was a feeling and in the little things he observed about her. She was incredibly stubborn and guarded with walls higher than he could hope to climb.

She eased her car into the driveway, Ted opened the door until he realized Reese hadn't shut-off the engine. "Um. Aren't you going to come in?"

Reese glanced at Ted. Ted realized how that might have sounded and quickly added: "I mean it's late and you need some sleep and..."

There was an expression on her face and Ted couldn't identify a flicker of anger, a flicker of something else entirely then it all went away when she let out a breath. "You're right."

About what? Ted wanted to ask but felt like he'd already pushed his luck and didn't.

"I'm going to park the car."

"Do you want me to set-up Charlie's guest room, seriously there's a lot of rooms and some even have honest to God furniture..."

Reese shook her head but she was smiling. "Some other time."

Ted got out of the car. "Okay. Good night, Detective Reese."

She opened her mouth and Ted paused but then she looked away, "Good night, Ted."

Ted watched Reese drive partway to the garage below Ted's room. She never parked in the garage.

* * *

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

4.

Cedars-Sinai Medical was growing on Ted. It was the one place aside from Charlie's house that Reese allowed him to wander free without an escort. He was also starting to get to know some of the people working in it, a casual hello as he passed by the nurse's station gained him gossip about Doctor something and Doctor something's ongoing rivalry for the Chief of Surgery position and a box of cookies he can take back to Charlie's room. Stark came by and brought his kid, a boy who looked only mildly interested at Charlie and far, far too interested in Reese.

Reese's interest in the kid lasted about five seconds before transferring to Stark and the two started talking shop.

The room was filled with far too many cops for Ted's taste. Even though one cop was a good friend and currently in a coma and the other two seemed to more or less like him but Ted found he was starting to hyperventilate and he left. Reese didn't mind his comings and goings in the hospital as long as he came back. He was in a gilded cage but at least he was relatively free.

If he thought about it, Reese would seem like the equivalent of a guard but Ted tried not to think of it that way instead he thought of Reese as... protection.

He returned after a quick circuit of the hospital, armed with cookies. The uniform sitting by the door barely looked at him before returning to the magazine he was reading. Ted opened the door.

"...this is enough."

Ted paused, not wanting to intrude into a police discussion but when he looked around he found Stark and his son were gone.

"It's been close to a month. You wanted to see what near death experience is like? Fine, you've seen it. You've had a crappy decade? Fine. Go ahead and rest but you've been resting for a month, you've been doing the rejuvenating rebirth bullshit thing. I get that. But you know what you're gonna do next?

"You're going to wake the fuck-up. This week. I got suspects to who shot you but you're the only one who really saw the shooter and I also think you're hiding something bigger from me. And it's not just 'cause you pissed Roman off. You're involved in some shit and I think part of that has something to do with my father and you promised you'd tell me. So you wake-up. You got things to do." Ted saw Reese lean a little closer, glaring at Charlie. "You're not finished here. So end of this week, you're going to wake-up, you got that?"

Ted looked to Charlie but he was as still and as unresponsive as he ever was. Reese resumed her normal position, legs wide, arms crossed. She stared at Charlie with a crease on her forehead and waited.

#

Some days Ted still gets hit with how many things have changed and how fast from his incarceration to his semi-freedom to having Detective Reese living here. Or, as much as she does. She comes in late at night and sleeps in Charlie's couch and leaves soon after breakfast and drops in to pick him up to visit Charlie. Occasionally she poured over the files she kept hidden in the cabinets in the library. She used hide them in the kitchen but since Agent Bodner's unwelcome visit Reese moved her files and kept it under lock and key.

In between those times Stark occasionally stopped by with a beer, Ted made an effort to dispose of the bottles before Reese arrived. Since Stark's the only other company besides Reese Ted always looked forward to Stark's visits but Ted was cautious about what to say about Reese since he didn't know how much Stark knew about Reese's sleeping arrangement. He wondered how long the sleeping arrangement would last and how long before everything worked out and she would leave and forget about him.

Reese arrived later and Ted knew it was a bad day. From the frown that grooved hollows on her forehead to the clipped stride and the tense shoulders. She looked more and more tired these days and Ted found himself watching Reese more and wondering how long she could last this way, how long before something gave and she fell.

She seemed to never rest and since the time she spoke to Charlie she had yet to return to the hospital. Meaning Ted had not returned to the hospital either. There was really not a lot he could do in the house. So, he walked around the house, maintained the garden, watched TV and googled himself over and over. He even found himself exercising to relieve the boredom.

#

It was a week since Reese issued her ultimatum and three days since Ted spoke to Reese. He'd been reluctant to do so but Ted thought he should, it was the single most nerve-wracking thing he did outside of prison and coyotes and Agent Bodner.

Reese listened to Ted, eyes never wavering and expression giving nothing away but her defiance and irritation was palpable. When he was done Reese said, "Doctor Vasquez told you to talk to me, didn't he?"

"Well..."

She looked, for a moment, mad then the irritation snapped away. Reese looked tired and shrugged. "It's okay."

Ted placed his hand on his neck feeling awkward but relieved he was done. "Okay."

"No." The word exploded from Reese and the calm and tiredness was gone. Every line in her body read anger. "No. It's not okay! He's only been under for a month. A _month_. And now they're ready to-- to give-up?"

"No one's saying that." Ted said, rushing in. "They don't want our hopes up--"

"But it's a start!" Reese stabbed at the air. Her movements were sudden and on the edge of violence. Raging at the world and yet still closed-in. "It's a start and I'm not going to accept that. I'm just--" she shook her head. "No."

Ted was alarmed. She had that look, a look he'd been familiar with in prison, a look that said she was going to do something incredibly reckless and dangerous.

"Hey, hey..." But she looked anywhere but where he stood. He could feel her restless anger roll over him. Reese dragged her fingers through her hair. "Detective. Reese. _Dani_." And that seemed to catch her attention, at least brought her back to the here and now rather than to places she would rather be, "Dani. I'm not giving up on Charlie."

She stopped pacing and looked at him, really focused on him. It was a disconcerting feeling but at least she was here.

"I have no intention of giving up on Charlie. He saved my life countless times, _countless_." Ted moved closer as if moving near a dangerous, wounded animal. "I'm not giving up on Charlie."

Dani closed her eyes and nodded. "Okay."

"Okay." Ted repeated.

Silence hung around them and Ted remembered the muted silence of the cliff, the peace he found there.

"Maybe you should also take your own advice," he started.

"What advice is that?"

"Go out, breathe some fresh air." She raised an eyebrow. "You work too hard, Charlie won't just slip away just 'cause you weren't there. I mean, I bet he has some Zen saying thing about it but—it's not a crime to stop."

Reese looked at him, it was a long stare and Ted was beginning to shift uncomfortably, afraid he'd stepped a line but the muscles of her face relaxed and Ted was never more relieved to see a smile, faint though it was, in his life. "Okay."

#

This is what Ted Earley knows about life:

It's hard and it's surprising and it throws you curve balls when you get too cocky. It might take years, it might take days but life will eventually throw you lemons.

And the next thing you know you're in an orange jumpsuit curled in pain and thinking whoever said something about life, lemons and lemonade was a lying son of a bitch.

But something else Ted knew about life was this: Sometimes there are people you can count on to save you. Charlie's done so countless times. Done it so much Ted doesn't have enough fingers to keep up. So he repays Charlie in ways he could. In keeping his money growing despite knowing how much Charlie doesn't care for his money, that he is as lost at sea dealing with money as Ted was in dealing with poverty.

He helps Charlie try to make sense of the puzzling conspiracy that took his life away. Ted knows the risks now and knows what he has to lose and he's been to hell and it wasn't pretty nor nice and angels can sometimes be the demons you should be most afraid of. Unless they were on your side and not even then. He tells Charlie his concerns and Charlie assures him it won't happen and he is assured because this is Charlie but then life, mean fickle thing that it is, threw a curve ball and faster than Ted could blink he was back in that orange jumpsuit, in a prison yard. And his best friend is shot and is in a coma.

Herein comes the third thing Ted knows about life: Sometimes when life is being an ass, when it sucks you down so hard you can't even see the light in the dark, life turns your lemons into lemonades. Like two bigger than life men as bodyguards to keep your person safe, like suddenly finding out you've been released from hell and given to another person to care for you. This time with dark eyes rather than pale blues and a shorter but no less commanding figure, with as much broken pieces as the first.

Like when your best friend in a coma opens his eyes and speaks.

#

It didn't happen at the sunniest nor the gloomiest day. It was an ordinary day and they'd gone through the routine. Breakfast in the morning, and the night before Reese coming home tired and closed in but gentle in ways that constantly surprise Ted. They go to Cedars-Sinai Medical that Saturday morning, the uniform acknowledging Reese with a nod and Reese with the same but accompanied with a question, Ted entered first and it was gloomy inside. The roses and lilies from well-wishers were beginning to wilt and Charlie... Ted's heart sank a little for Charlie, for Dani, who expected and waited, who would never give-up.

Dani entered and she paused. Ted saw her look at Charlie and the muscles around her eyes tightened then she looked to Ted. Ted tried not to look guilty for watching her.

Instead, Dani said: "It's dark here."

"I was going to draw the blinds." He answered.

Dani nodded and moved next to him, Ted took hold of one end of the curtain while Dani took hold of the other and drew her side. Light streamed in, brightening the room. Charlie looked pale under the sunlight, his hair darker.

"Will you be going to work today?" Ted asked.

Reese shook her head and slanted a sideways look at him. "Not today."

Ted nodded. "Okay. Um--" He was about to say something, a word of assurance, caution but Dani settled in her chair elbows on her knees and hands clasped together, supporting her chin and eyes steady on Charlie. Ted found himself falling into silence.

Whenever it happened, it happened with waiting and faith and stubborness and it happened because of many things. But it happened this way: into the long hours, into the sun setting high until the beams of light reached Charlie's face. He had a lot of freckles. Ted had observed this before and re-examined this observation when he had nothing to do--

Ted stopped breathing. Beside him, Reese's chair squeaked. Did he just see...?

"Crews?" It was a whisper and the hope in her voice matched the choked up thing in his chest.

Charlie's eyes fluttered open. Ted stared. Charlie blinked once, twice, soaking in the sun. Ted wanted to speak but he was all tangled up in wonder, in surprise and just disbelief of what he's seeing, of what's happening. Charlie turned his head--

"Crews?"

--and smiled.

End


End file.
